Macy’s has rehired Maya Dukes as senior vice president and executive creative director, signaling a push to centralize creative leadership as the retailer advances its Bold New Chapter growth plan. For marketers and agencies, the move points to tighter brand controls, new creative briefs and closer alignment between merchandising, digital and in-store experiences.
What changed
Effective Monday, Dukes will oversee Macy’s creative strategy and branding, reporting to Chief Marketing Officer Sharon Otterman. In this role she will collaborate across marketing, merchandising and digital teams to shape campaigns, customer-facing storytelling and the creative processes that support commerce.
Why it matters for marketers
Putting a senior creative leader in charge of brand and creative operations usually results in refreshed guidelines, revised campaign cadences and more prescriptive briefs. Macy’s has already expanded programs such as its Style Crew affiliate initiative and the year-long “Celebrations Start at Macy’s” platform; Dukes’ remit suggests those efforts may see closer creative oversight and tighter integration with merchandising and store experiences.
Agencies and in-house teams should expect requests for clearer measurement goals and more coordinated omnichannel creative work. Practical signs to watch for include new brand standards, updated asset workflows, or changes in agency scopes tied to luxury assortments and seasonal activations.
Background and context
Dukes returns to Macy’s after serving as a senior graphic designer from 2001 to 2007. Her recent roles include managing director of global brand, creative and agency operations at Delta Air Lines, plus senior leadership positions at Jack Henry & Associates, Comcast NBCUniversal, The Home Depot and Tuesday Morning.
Macy’s introduced its Bold New Chapter strategy in 2024 to restore enterprise growth by strengthening the Macy’s nameplate, accelerating luxury growth and streamlining operations. Marketing initiatives layered onto that strategy include an expansion of the Style Crew affiliate program beyond social platforms after notable growth in 2025, and the ongoing Celebrations campaign that ties seasonal moments to in-store activations and events.
Those marketing moves have coincided with improved early-year results: Macy’s reported first-quarter net sales of $4.7 billion (up 1.8% year over year), comparable sales up 3% and net income of $63 million, a 66% increase. The company is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Sept. 10.
What to watch next
Short-term indicators of Dukes’ impact will be visible in upcoming seasonal campaigns, any repositioning of luxury assortments, and how creative teams integrate across digital, merchandising and stores. Marketers should monitor for updated creative guidelines, shifts in campaign cadence and any new agency relationships aligned with the refreshed brand direction.
From a planning perspective, prepare for more prescriptive creative briefs and measurement expectations: define KPIs tied to sales or engagement, map asset needs across channels, and align timelines with merchandising cycles. Over the next year, track whether Macy’s pairs creative changes with incremental marketing investment—those budget decisions will determine whether revamped storytelling translates into measurable growth.
